2018 Nissan Rogue Sport: problems, recalls and reliability
2 recalls and 92 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is electrical system (20% of complaints); the 2020 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · 4 new complaints in the last 90 days · latest recall Feb 2023
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 92 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“A/C Started blowing warm air when car was idling, then car randomly overheated while sitting in traffic. Once car cooled down, check to coolant levels and they were fine. After the car sat overnight A/C worked fine and temperature gauge was at normal. Started the car with A/C on and popped the hood, the radiator fan was not on nor did it come on. Now anytime the car idles for more than 1 or 2 minutes it overheats.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jul 2026
“As I was driving, air conditioner failed to function, resulting in car overheating and 'Check Engine' light coming on. Was able drive car safely home. Problem was later diagnosed as malfunctioning radiator fan.”Owner report · Engine · Jul 2026
“CVT issue my Rogue Sport has 81000 miles and now needs a transmission according to the mechanic shop. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”Owner report · Power Train · Jun 2026
Show 7 more owner reports
“2018 NISSAN ROGUE SPORT Cooling fan sudden stop and causing overheating in engine, warm air through AC, and AC clutch to shut off. Known problem with 2018-2020 NISSAN ROGUE models. Only an issue at lower speeds and when max air and coldest setting fan does not engage.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · May 2026
“There appears to be a problem with the Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB), while driving on 2 occasions, my Nossan 2018 roque automatically slowed down by itself and flashed a warning on the dash board and made an audible beeping sound. The tires also had friction against the road, showing the breaks activated on their own although there was no risk of an accident or obstacle in the way so t should not have activated. Thos seems dangerous because it slows the car down randomly and might actually cause an accident. It happened 22Dec2025 and about 6 driving sessions before that so it's a recurring issue.”Owner report · Service Brakes · Dec 2025
“I was stationary at a red light, and car traveling behind me at full speed (approximately 50-60 mph) did not stop and crashed into my car (rear-ending me). My airbags did not deploy: not even the side airbags, even though the trunk was crashed/pushed up into the middle of the car, damaging the side supports between the front and back seats. ALSO, the driver's seat reclined fully upon impact! This car has electric adjustable seats, so the seat has a mechanized gear that faulted.”Owner report · Air Bags · Dec 2025
“The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport. The contact stated that while her brother was driving 55 MPH on the Interstate, the hood flew open, struck and shattered the front windshield. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. There were no reported injuries. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall and a case was filed. The approximate failure mileage was 67,000.”Owner report · Latches/Locks/Linkages · Nov 2025
“The car would not start after it rained all day.I had it towed from my job at Walmart to Firestone and they said it was an electrical problem and that I need to have it towed to the Dealership .So I had it towed to the Dealership and they called me the next day and said it was an engine Harness.They also told me that this car was bought in March the 12th by the previous owner for the same problem.I brought this car from DriveTime on July the eleventh and they did not let me know that this car needed major work. Now they refuse to help me solve the problem.”Owner report · Electrical System · Oct 2025
“While driving my engine began to smoke, I had to pull over on a very dangerous highway. After getting the vehicle towed my mechanic determined that the engine over heated due to a faulty cooling fan on the engine. The head gasket now needs to be replaced, as well as the whole engine. He informed me this is a common issue they see in Nissan Rogue Sports. There were no warnings or issues noted. Only two months prior the car was serviced by the dealer.”Owner report · Engine · Sep 2025
“While driving my 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport the car began to overheat when i slowed down or came to a stop. I brought it to my mechanic who informed me the radiator cooling fan failed and had to be replaced. I found out that many Nissan Rogue Sport models have had this issue. I think it is a saftey isse when you car overheats....”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jun 2025
When filing, owners marked a crash in 8 of these complaints and injuries in 14 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 2 campaigns
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Nissan Altima, Armada, Frontier, Kicks, Leaf, Maxima, Murano, NV, NV200, Pathfinder, Rogue, Rogue Sport, Sentra, Titan, Titan Diesel, Versa Note and Versa Sedan vehicles, as well as Infiniti Q50, Q60, QX30 and QX80 vehicles. Additionally included are 2019 Nissan GT-R and Taxi and Infiniti QX50, QX60, Q70, Q70L vehicles. The back-up camera and display settings can be adjusted such that the rear view image is no longer visible and the system will retain that setting the next time the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Remedy: Nissan will notify owners in phases, having dealers update the back-up camera settings software, free of charge. The recall began November 11, 2019 and all affected VINs should be activated. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-867-7669 or INFINITI customer service at 1-800-662-6200.
Nissan North America, Inc. (Nissan) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Rogue and 2017-2022 Rogue Sport vehicles equipped with a jackknife style ignition key. The jackknife key may collapse into a folded position while driving.
Remedy: Dealers will insert a spacer into the key slot of the jackknife key, free of charge. Interim notification letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed March 29, 2023. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 30, 2023. Owners may contact Nissan's customer service at 1-800-867-7669. Nissan's number for this recall is R22C5.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2018 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Check your exact Rogue Sport by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport reliable?
NHTSA has 92 owner complaints and 2 recall campaigns on record for the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport. The most complained-about area is electrical system (20% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 41,030 miles or less.
Does the 2018 Nissan Rogue Sport have open recalls?
2 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning back over prevention: sensing system: camera. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.